"A pre-meal workout is essential after all. It makes you all taste better."
Lower Rank Six looked at the panting Corps member before him, still mocking and taunting.
The Demon Slayer Corps member, breathing heavily, continued to stare down his opponent.
He'd been so close to losing a leg. But it was obvious his opponent wasn't serious, otherwise, he would have been down long ago.
Is this the power of a Twelve Kizuki? I really don't know how Mr. Tomioka manages to defeat them. I wish I could be as strong as a Hashira someday...
Suddenly, the demon turned its head, looking into the distant darkness.
What's wrong?
"Your crow works hard, doesn't it? Called for backup so quickly?"
Backup? Didn't I come alone?
A figure appeared instantly on a nearby roof, and even the Corps member couldn't help but turn his gaze toward it.
—Who is this guy?
He wore no Demon Slayer Corps uniform, nor did he carry a Nichirin Blade. He looked like an ordinary man just passing by, holding a hatchet in his hand.
"What's this? I was hoping a Hashira would show up, but it's just some ordinary guy?"
Lower Rank Six pouted.
"Well then, I'll start with you as an appetizer!"
"Get out of here!"
The Corps member shouted anxiously, but the warning was clearly too late.
Splat.
"He actually reacted... No, it wasn't a reaction, he pulled back in advance. Is it some kind of beast-like instinct?"
An arm landed in front of the Corps member, followed by Suzuki Makoto.
"...Who the hell are you?"
Lower Rank Six's face was ferocious. His single remaining hand held his own head as he furiously demanded an answer while his body regenerated.
Suzuki Makoto ignored the demon and turned to the Corps member.
"Excuse me, are you with the Demon Slayer Corps?"
"Y-Yes."
The Corps member was completely stunned by Suzuki Makoto.
What kind of ordinary person could overwhelm Lower Rank Six with a hatchet?
"That's great. Once the sun rises, could you answer some questions for me?"
"Who's going to let you drag this out until sunrise!"
Lower Rank Six was now thoroughly enraged. As he roared, the severed arm instantly transformed into a giant wolf, lunging for Suzuki Makoto's neck.
Suzuki Makoto easily tore the giant wolf's head off, dodged the charging Lower Rank Six, and even kicked the Corps member out of the attack's path.
So your severed limbs can turn into wolves?
The man watched with interest as the headless giant wolf stood back up. He was about to test just how many wolves his opponent could split into when the Corps member, who had just scrambled to his feet, interrupted him.
"Sir! The blade you're holding, isn't it a Nichirin Blade?"
"It's just an ordinary blade. But it's enough to keep him suppressed until dawn."
"Please, use this!"
The Corps member immediately threw the blade in his hands to Suzuki Makoto.
"This is a Nichirin Blade! If you cut off the demon's head with this, you can destroy it instantly!"
Suzuki Makoto caught the blade with a curious expression.
To throw his only weapon to a stranger he'd just met, without any prior conversation to build trust—what was the deal with these Demon Slayer Corps people?
Does everyone here have such a pure heart, or is it that... as long as the demon is killed, they don't care about anything else?
"Kill me? Hahahaha, that's hilarious! Watch closely! This is what a true member of the Twelve Kizuki relies on to fight!"
Lower Rank Six's flesh instantly disintegrated.
"Blood Demon Art—Hunting Feast!"
Dozens of giant wolves instantly surrounded the two of them completely.
"This is my ultimate technique, developed to defeat that weakling called Kyogai in the Blood Battle for replacement! A beast's instinct combined with absolute numbers—using it on you is complete overkill!"
The demon's voice drifted between the giant wolves, indicating that his main body had merged with them.
Suzuki Makoto turned to the now-unarmed Corps member.
"May I ask your name?"
"Uh, my name is Murata."
"Mr. Murata, get down."
Although he didn't know why, Murata immediately dropped to the ground.
Then, it felt as if a light breeze brushed over his back.
The surroundings instantly fell deathly silent, punctuated only by the sound of heavy objects thudding to the ground.
"Mr. Murata, you can get up now."
The Corps member dazedly climbed to his feet and looked around, only to see the dissipating corpses of the giant wolves.
"Excuse me, is this what happens when you kill a demon with a Nichirin Blade?"
"Uh... yes."
Suzuki Makoto breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that whether these demons were killed by a Nichirin Blade or burned by the sun, they all turned to ash upon death.
"That's good. Looks like this guy was even more incompetent than I thought. He really did turn into one of the giant wolves, instead of having some other mechanism."
Murata stared blankly at the surrounding ashes.
This... Lower Rank Six is dead? Just like that?
"Wait, wait—are you sure you're not one of the Demon Slayer Corps' Hashira? Maybe I just haven't met you before?"
"Sorry, you're the first Demon Slayer Corps member I've ever met, and this blade is also the first Nichirin Blade I've ever seen."
Suzuki Makoto handed the blade back to Murata.
Murata took it back numbly and sheathed it.
If that's the case, does that mean I just witnessed the birth of a new Hashira?
No, no, that's not the point!
"You're not from the Demon Slayer Corps and you don't have a Nichirin Blade, so how do you fight demons?"
"I chop them to pieces and then wait for the sun to rise."
The young man's jaw dropped to the floor.
Fighting an immortal demon for hours on end, and on top of that, making sure it can't escape the sunlight? Is that even humanly possible!?
"By the way, Mr. Murata, I'd really like to join the Demon Slayer Corps and continue fighting demons. Could you please recommend me?"
"Huh? I'm just an ordinary Corps member, not a Cultivator. I don't have that authority."
Murata scratched his head in embarrassment.
"But you just killed one of the Twelve Kizuki! I'm sure the higher-ups will accept you if I report this!"
Suzuki Makoto nodded, relieved.
"However..."
"What is it?"
"Um, my Kasugai Crow has already flown off to deliver a message, so I can't contact them right now. I'll have to wait for the crow to bring someone back before I can make a report."
Murata said, looking very embarrassed.
"That's fine. Good things come to those who wait, right?"
Suzuki Makoto waved his hand dismissively.
"More importantly, I'd like you to tell me about the Demon Slayer Corps and demons—after all, I've been fighting these man-eating demons almost completely in the dark."
____
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